Inspirations: Lessons in Carving

Crazy.

When I lie down to sleep at night, I feel like I'm carving.  Still.  Because I've been doing it all day.  For days and days on end.

No. Not snow.
Not waves, either, unfortunately.

I see the process of painting in sort of a weird way, I think.  I'm not really sure how you are SUPPOSED to see it, but...to me...each canvas is like this GIANT bar of soap.

 Dove soap. 
(because it smells so dang good)

When I put a color on my canvas, it is the surface of the soap.  It is bland and void of depth.  It can be ALL THAT AND A BAG OF CHIPS in its shape and composition, but it is lacking something.  When I paint in a layer of slightly darker color, it carves out a deepness into my image.  I go deeper.  With each molecule of black that I add to my original, boring color...I carve out an existence around the edges of my drawing.  But it isn't enough.  The Darkness can never define ALL of any picture to the point where it meets the great expectations of the vision of the Painter.  Now we move to the White.  It only takes the slightest touch of Lighter colors...usually at the center of each object, to do what no sculptor can master...raise the image right off the plane of surface.  The touch of the Master Artist's brush, soft and gently applied, hits the very core; and it is transcended out into this surreal eternity that can't be explained in 2 dimensions.  The image is shaped by BOTH the Darkness that surrounds it AND the Light that defines/heightens it.

Whoah.

Got a bit philosophical with my late-night self.

Like I said...I see the process of painting weirdly.  To me, it is spiritual.  It is cleansing.  It is life's lessons all wrapped up in a physically fulfilling format.  It is messy.  It is inspiring.  It goes best with true inspiration and a strong cup of coffee.

Why coffee?
Because coffee smells DANG tasty.  
(and because I can't get my paint to smell as good as Dove soap, no matter how hard I try)